Sen. Nina Turner introduces bill to protect men from dangers of Viagra

An important piece of legislation was introduced in the Ohio State Senate yesterday. It seems that in all the fuss to protect women from making poor decisions about their bodies, we forgot about the men. But Senator Nina Turner didn’t forget.

Turner has introduced a bill that would make sure that men, seeking prescriptions to potentially dangerous therapies to treat male sexual disorders, receive the same type of information and options as women confronting difficult decisions about their reproductive health.

From Turner’s press release:

“When a man makes a crucial decision about his health and his body, he should be fully aware of the alternative options and the lifetime repercussions of that decision,” Senator Turner said today. Men will be more easily guided through the process of obtaining treatment for impotence so they can better understand and more effectively address their condition.

Senate Bill 307 protects men by requiring the following prior to receiving a prescription to treatment for erectile dysfunction:

a signed affadavit from at least one sex partner confirming the man has indeed experienced the symptoms of impotence in the past 90 days

a psychological screening to ensure the condition is, in fact, medical in nature

I will be introducing a bill to address an issue that has gone unaddressed for far too long. The diligence with which men in state legislatures across the nation have considered the fragile health and feeble minds of women has prompted me to reflect on the welfare of the more powerful breed: men. This legislation will take strong steps to protect men from the harmful effects of PDE-5 inhibitors (phosphodiesterase type 5). PDE-5 inhibitors are prescribed to men who are experiencing symptoms of male impotence and carry serious side effects such as priapism, hearing loss, and vision loss. Such medications should be considered with the utmost concern and caution. These medications can be seriously detrimental to men with heart problems, including heart pain (angina), heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), high or low blood pressure, a history of stroke within the last six months, eye problems such as retinitis pigmentosa, sickle cell anemia, or leukemia.

The legislation will implement procedures that will ensure the vigorous reproductive health of men who experience non-psychological erectile dysfunction symptoms. This means that men will have to certify their impotence, confirm their comprehension of risk, and undergo outpatient counseling services to inform them of alternative treatment options to PDE-5 inhibitors.

Please join us in this fight to protect those who are our greatest protectors. The men in our lives generously devote time and debate to fundamental female reproductive issues; the least we can do is return the favor.

If you would like to be included as a co-sponsor, please contact Matthew Adair at [redacted]. The deadline to sign on to this legislation is 5:00pm on Monday, March 5, 2012. Thank you for your consideration.

If you are a voter in Ohio and believe, like we do, that men’s sexual health should not be overlooked, contact your State Senator and urge them to support SB307 .

Our colleague, Greg, tells us this is how he envisions his conversation with Senator Turner about the bill would probably go:

Typical. When you can’t use facts to make your case, use ad hominem attacks.

If the Catholic church wants to play the commerce game, they have to play by the rules like everyone else.

What you don’t seem to understand is this is a secular society which trumps religious dogma. Until the U.S. Constitution is abolished, you’ll have to live with it…or move to a country of your liking.

NMAXXS

I’ll bet you had to think long and hard to come up with your post.

If it took you more than 4 hours, you should seek a doctor, immediately.

NMAXXS

I blame dirtgirl. She should have used smaller words and double spacing. Reading is hard for some.

Rianya

And Fragile X shows some link to the father’s age at conception (I believe).

Rianya

Mine too!

Rianya

Hey, if God wanted impotent men to have boners they wouldn’t be impotent, would they? They can just choose celebacy.

Rianya

Rethuglicans believe the government should stay out of medical care EXCEPT where the wimmens are concerned. For women they want a watchdog in every uterus.

Rianya

Religious bullies may try to ridicule her but the men and women with courage and integrity will applaud her.

Rianya

You realize that the “God” comments are satire directed against douches like TInk, right?

I’m actually an atheist. However if religious people are going to try and use their invisible bully friend to infringe on my decisions that only belong between me and my doctor then you bet I’m going to point out the hypocrisy of their claims.

Rianya

Speaking of not listening — did you miss the part where the President said that insurance companies have to provide the birth control coverage? And the part where insurance companies apparently like that idea because it helps their profits?

So, since employers are out of the picture, what’s up with all the outrage and WHAT THE BLAZES is all this punative legislation designed to penalize women’s choices to obtain birth control or an abortion. None of your business, neanderthals — go back to your chest thumping and knuckle dragging.

Rianya

That’s funny, Ceg3, women feel the same exact way about OUR relationship to our doctors.

Rianya

Hey, your elementary school called. They want their idiot back.

Rianya

Kind of like legislation requiring women to have an ultrasound before an abortion?

raine1951

I think a proctology exam by a priest should be included.

raine1951

Just make it as humiliating and intrusive as possible…say with an inserted sonogram wand size large?

raine1951

thanks, you made me laugh

SFTom

Stevenko243, you say, “Many older men or men in general do not have a regular sex partner…This is a veiled attempt push for sex only for procreation to make the recreational use of Viagra more difficult…”

Well I would hope that the Catholic institutions (like Georgetown) would not have this coverage available, since sex without a partner and “recreational” sex are sins. Yes I think Georgetown and all Catholic institutions should be able to decide what health care is available to its students and employees. Sort of like employer “death panels” for “the young” and “the expected to live.” By removing “the occasion of sin” they are free from having to make difficult moral decisions as well. Maybe in place of psychological counseling they could just require viewing a 15 minute film on drug-induced erections and the dangers depending on frequency, duration, size, age, etc.

Man, get with it, it’s 2012, individual freedom and responsibility have no place in this society.

sheelzebub

Why should we be paying for men to have sex like rutting hosebeasts anyway?? I mean, that’s the logic against having the Pill covered. Telling how it’s different when it d00ds having sex.

Bozo the Deathmachine

I’m sure that reading is hard for many Christian Conservatives…all that blind faith must make it really hard to see.

DOTS

STUPID-RUSH IS RIGHT

arkivx

Haha, look at all the haters.

arkivx

The legislature should so be used for satire, herp derp, this is why people hate politicians, like this stupid woman comparing apples to oranges.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Elissa-Small/1062228251 Elissa Small

Viagra can cause vision loss, huh? Guess that explains Congress….

Aclaysr

I am just trying to understand what this does for a women who is with a man that doesn’t require viagra? If you are going to take a stand, address the issue.

athenap

It’s you who doesn’t get it. If you want to be a business in this country, you follow the same set of rules that every other business follows. If you can’t follow those same rules that every other business follows, then don’t call yourself a business.

If you want a religious exemption then guess who you’re going to have to “prove” your religion to–that ‘s right, the gubmint. Do you want the gubmint to start vetting who’s a “real” Christian and who isn’t?

If you are an employer, your primary goal as a business is to make as much money as possible, and pay out as little money towards costs of any sort as possible. Consequently, providing any employee benefits or even salaries is detrimental to the mission of the employer. When are you giving back your paycheck?

athenap

If you are an employer in this country who can’t play by the rules all the other employers have no trouble playing by…you have no business doing business.

athenap

It should be an all-woman panel, though, since the hearings on birth control coverage were all by men. 😉

athenap

Do you also have to run through a gauntlet of protesters and/or run the risk of your pharmacist deciding to have a religious moment when it comes to filling your prescription?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1015891969 Laura Jennings

DEFINITELY has my vote! lol….

guest

from some people (my liberal friends) would consider me “right wing”, my conservative friends consider me a liberal so I am not sure where I stand but yes, I do believe the right wing will understand this and appreciate it. I love this idea- but I think if the government wants to get into animal husbandry then I think the government should at least want to be effective and with a better budget- SEMEN SUPPRESSION- would target the correct sex and that would solve many of the issues. One man can impregnate up to 30 or more women (feasibly) so why target the women? I think the idea of semen suppression is viable AND cost effective. Also, one of the benefits would be that the words “I want to get lucky” or “I am looking for someone to nail” might be lessened in everyday vernacular! So yes, even the right wingers will get this but I think we should propose Semen suppression to validate that females are important in our society.
SEMEN SUPPRESSION WOULD BE A GAME CHANGER for women and women’s rights and men would/could not be so blase about casual sex- they would have to think about their rights/responsibilities also.

Chredon

Many conservative Christians are against birth control because it thwarts the Will of God. Wouldn’t the same be true of Viagra and its medical brethren? After all, if God had meant for you to have sex, wouldn’t He have given you a erection? Maybe this is God’s way to telling you that it’s time for you to consider celibacy and maybe a life in the priesthood.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Marjorie-Nye/533245613 Marjorie Nye

I would vote for a bill that required men to undergo testicular screenings the same way women get mammograms!

guest

I might be considered one of the “right wing” idiots you mention- not only do I understand this, I would be hard pressed to call it sarcasm- I agree totally with this premise and would go one step farther to advance parity (with women’s rights) and say that instead of birth control/sterilization and all aspects of a female’s participation in birth control, we instead aim at the source of birth and birth control- we should insist on semen suppression as it is a simple, less invasive and dangerous proposition for the participants. Pack his genitals in ice for one lousy weekend and he will not impregnate (unless procedure done improperly) the females he copulates with. So many men go out with the idea of “getting lucky”- “sewing his wild oats”, etc- why should he be so blase’ about a reaction to his action that will impact lives for generations? One male can impregnate a multitude of females- why shouldn’t males be called upon to accept their role in birth and birth control? Semen suppression would be a major game changer for every woman. This idea of semen suppression would be more efficient and less costly in the long run (and it is reversible on their dime) So, I think we should call upon the males of this country to accept their responsibility for our country.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002206077722 Randy Mckee

here ya go progressive/ communist idiots…stay the fk out of my life..how about that..this lady communist is what is WRONG with america…